Two years of clinical trials to begin

Every year, breast cancer kills more than 40,000 people in the US, but a breast cancer vaccine is headed to human clinical trials and a Cleveland clinic is working to turn it into a commercial product.

It’s a possible game changer in the fight against cancer. An Ohio doctor has been given the green light to test a breast cancer vaccine.

Dr. Vincent Tuohy has received word that his research at the Cleveland clinic to develop such a vaccine has been funded.

"We now have all of this work in front of us. We can roll up our sleeves and get this done and hopefully 10 years from now we'll have a vaccine," Tuohy said.

One local man had been working to make this a reality for years.

Brandon Perry walked 2,300 miles a couple of years ago to raise money for the Cancer Society. Inspired by cancer victims he's close to, Perry started a local 5K run, raising $10,000 for research to develop a vaccine against breast and ovarian cancer.

"I immediately started bawling my eyes out. You know, because when you do so much and you don't really see much return, it, words can't express the feelings that I felt yesterday," Perry said about when he heard the news that funding for the vaccine research had been established at the clinic.

Perry had been on the phone with Dr. Vincent Tuohy, who has worked for more than a decade to come up with a vaccine to prevent breast and ovarian cancer.

This week, the clinic announced that a company called Shield Bio-tech will fund the research. It is a major step forward as far as Tuohy and Perry are concerned.

Perry is inspired by the struggles of cancer victims he has been close to in his own family and within his extended family. Both of his arms are heavily tattooed, visible symbols of his commitment to support Tuohy's research efforts.

Holding out his left arm, he pointed as if mapping out the 2,300 mile walk he made across country two years ago.

"The guitar is blue, teal and gray. Blue being my grandfather's colon cancer, teal being my friend Amy who has since passed -- ovarian cancer."

Since his walk to raise funds for the Cancer Society, he has heard from numerous individuals who are joining the effort in their own way.

Perry came to the attention of Tuohy when he started a local 5K run, raising thousands for the type of research Tuohy is conducting.

So, upon getting word that his research at the Cleveland Clinic has been funded, Tuohy sent out an email blast and heard from Perry right away.

They exchanged long-distance high-fives to celebrate the two years' worth of clinical trials that can now begin.

If FDA approval follows, preventing breast cancer could be within reach in another decade.

"What we're trying to do is what a lot of people thought was impossible," Tuohy told WKYC.

"I think it shows that one person with an idea," said Perry, referring to Tuohy, "can make a huge difference in the lives of millions of women."

An email Perry got from Tuohy says the hardest thing is to try to change the way people think. We are conditioned to turn to treatment as the answer.

His point is that prevention trumps treatment and that's where society needs to direct its efforts.

Perry says it's important to not assume that funding needs are over.

He says Tuohy's lab must continue in order for the research to go forward and fundraising is critical.

of people thought was impossible." A POSSIBLE GAME CHANGER.. IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER... AN OHIO DOCTOR... GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT ... TO TEST... A BREAST CANCER VACCINE. (Brandon Perry) ("Nothin's gonna bring him down this week. He said I don't care what it is. He said I feel like I'm floating around on a cloud right now.") EVERY YEAR... BREAST CANCER KILLS MORE THAN 40-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE U-S. NOW... A BREAST CANCER VACCINE IS HEADED TO HUMAN CLINICAL TRIALS... AND THE CLEVELAND CLINIC IS WORKING TO TURN IT INTO A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT. TONIGHT, WLWT NEWS FIVE'S JOHN LONDON SHOWS US THE DOC... LEADING THE RESEARCH... AND THE INSPIRATIONAL SUPPORT HE'S GETTING.... FROM A LOCAL GUY.... WHO'S WALKED ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT IS OUR BIG STORY. . The tattoos on his left arm tell part of Brandon Perry's story. ("...but, Route 66 and and highway 40's how I got there, the cactus and the armadillo represent the west and me heading west...") He's the guy who walked 2300 miles a couple of years ago to raise money for the cancer society. Inspired by cancer victims he's close to, Perry started a local 5K run, raising 10-grand for research to develop a vaccine against breast and ovarian cancer. It caught the attention of Dr. Vincent Tuohy, who just got word that his research at the Cleveland Clinic has been funded. (Vincent Tuohy, Ph.D. - Cleveland Clinic) ("We now have all of this work in front of us. We can roll up our sleeves and get this done and hopefully ten years from now we'll have a vaccine.") (Brandon Perry - Raising Money for Research) ("I immediately started balling my eyes out, you know, because when you so so much and you don't really see much return, it, words can't express the feelings that I felt yesterday.") By phone, they exchanged long- distance high fives for the two years' worth of clinical trials that can now begin. If F-D-A approval follows, preventing breast cancer may be within reach. (Brandon Perry) ("I think it shows that one person with an idea, Dr. Tuohy, can make a huge difference in the lives of millions of women.") The email Perry got from Tuohy says the hardest thing is to condition people to think prevention instead of treatment. Perry not only wears his commitment to fund-raise on his sleeve, but right on his arm. ("The foundation Can't Stop, Won't Stop which I've started since then...") Both arms, actually. ("My heart dropping tears and the tears from losing my family members is going to help me change the world.") PERRY SAYS DR. TUOHY IS FLOATING ON A CLOUD RIGHT NOW... BUT WANTS TO CONVEY A DOWN- TO-EARTH MESSAGE... THE FUNDING FOR HIS RESEARCH IS ONE THING, KEEPING HIS LAB GOING IS ANOTHER. CRITICAL, HE SAYS, TO CONTINUE THE FUND-RAISING... NOW TO A STORY YOU WILL SEE ONLY ON WLWT...